Etna eruption captured by European satellites

The spectacular eruption of Etna on June 2, which raised a dense cloud kilometres high from the south-east crater, was captured by the Sentinel-2 satellites of the Copernicus Earth observation programme, of the European Space Agency and the European Commission. The optical image clearly shows the lava flow and the enormous column of smoke and ash that rose into the air.

The same scene was also captured by the Sentinel-5P atmospheric monitoring satellite: the image highlights the sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano that extend westward over a good part of Sicily. The eruptive event also led to a partial collapse of the northern flank of the south-east crater.